The invention relates to a method and a device for processing monetary units such as banknotes or coins, in which the monetary unit are conveyed from an input compartment in each case to one of a plurality of output compartments as a function of predefined sorting criteria.
Such a method and such a device are known, for example, from DE 34 12 726 C2 or DE 44 37 722 A1. Here, bundles of banknotes are input into an input compartment, separated and conveyed past a checking device by means of a conveying device. The separated banknotes are checked by sensors of the checking device and fed to specific output compartments as a function of the checking result.
If a bundle of banknotes is inserted with mixed denominations, in order to process the banknotes for depositing purposes, they are usually sorted in such a way that only banknotes of a single denomination are ever stored in one output compartment. For example, a first output compartment can be used to hold the banknotes of a first denomination and a second output compartment to hold the banknotes of a second denomination from the mixed bundle of banknotes which has been inserted.
The number of banknotes to be stacked in the individual output compartments may be preset in a variable fashion here. This presetting is desired, for example, if stacks with a predetermined number of banknotes are required for subsequent wrapping.
Using a counting device, the banknotes which are stored in the individual output compartments are counted and the conveying of banknotes to the output compartments is interrupted if the predefined number of banknotes has been reached in at least one of the output compartments, with the result that the associated stack can be removed for subsequent wrapping.
Although these known banknote processing systems can reliably and safely carry out these functions, it is desired to expand further the application spectrum of such systems.